The cells were quieter than Lucien expected. Four massive chambers packed with bodies, yet the only thing he heard was uneven breaths.
He stepped into the first cell without hesitation. The beastkin shrank back instantly, furry tails puffing, ears flattening. Fear spread through them like a plague.
They weren't bound, they didn't need to be. Vainte alone was a Rank Three awakened who had endured a divine tribulation, and several other awakened lurked throughout the guild. No slave here was stupid enough to test fate.
Lucien's cold eyes swept the chamber. Without warning, he wrapped his fingers around the iron-bar door and slammed it shut from the inside. The lock clicked.
Vainte gasped behind him, lips forming a perfect little O.
"Young lord… we're saved!". A beast kin called out in joy, although enslavement of other races isn't exactly banned, it is common knowledge the three human gods frown upon it, and even the royal family condemns it, seeing a high ranking noble, he immediately felt saved.
But the next moment, he jolted violently, as if a hook had been rammed into his spine and yanked. His body snapped toward Lucien like a puppet whose strings were pulled too hard.
A wet crunch followed.
Lucien's hand was already through his chest.
Warmth flooded into Lucien's limbs. The life force melted into his marrow, into his organs, into the cracks of his existence like oil on a flame.
His breath deepened.
"I wonder just how effective this virtue will be on awakens, not only can I absorb a person's energy with it, I can also control it, although my heretic virtue didn't make me invincible from the day I awakened, it still has a lot of potential to be unearthed".
The slave collapsed, his skin shriveling, muscles drying into brittle parchment. His eyes remained wide, locked in a terror he never had time to process.
Screams erupted. The slaves shoved and trampled each other, scrambling to the corners of the cell.
Lucien's heartbeat stayed calm.
The other slaves were only now reacting, screams echoed across the cell as they trampled on each other to get away from Lucien, it was clear, by the bizarre ability, that he was no mortal.
The next moment, more bodies dropped, Lucien glanced around, chasing the slaves was starting to become a nuisance, thus far he killed over thirty, and all they were doing was running away.
But Lucien didn't stop.
By the time the last husk dropped, the cell was silent. Lucien sat cross-legged in the center of the carnage, eyes closed, drawing the stolen life into a stable flow. The energy was beginning to feel like threads of fire knitting through his muscle and bone.
Vainte strutted up to the bars, cheeks flushed. "Whoa… you actually killed all one hundred and three slaves." His eyes slid toward the other cells. The slaves watched through the bars, trembling and screaming for hours until their throats went raw.
Vainte waved cheerfully. "I'm afraid you're all going to die soon."
… …
An hour later, Lucien stepped out, expression unreadable. The burly man gulped and unlocked the second cell.
Lucien's gaze flicked to Vainte, he blew him a kiss, Lucien hurriedly turned away, pretending he didn't see it.
The slaves in the second chamber didn't run this time. They had seen what running accomplished. An older beastkin with antlers stepped forward to speak, a last-ditch prayer for mercy.
A hand pierced his chest before he got a syllable out. His mouth opened, but all that escaped was a dying rattle.
Lucien leaned in, whispering into the collapsing ear. "Don't waste your breath. I came here to cultivate. You are my resources."
The corpse hit the ground with a dull thud.
Vainte let out a soft gasp that sent shivers down the burly attendant's spine. It really sounded like he was enjoying this.
The slaves' hearts shattered. But this time, something else flickered through their eyes, it was fury. The able-bodied males lunged forward as one, roaring, while the weaker ones fled to the edges.
If they died today, they'd die trying to kill the evil monster in their cell.
Lucien chuckled darkly.
The first slave to reach him was twice his size. Their fists collided and the slave's forearm cracked like rotting wood. The fracture splintered up to his shoulder.
Lucien crushed his throat with one hand while the other activated his heretic virtue. No wasted resources.
"Get over here."
Another slave jerked forward uncontrollably, dragged by invisible force straight into Lucien's grip.
"Feast of a Blackened Heart."
He crumpled just as fast.
The slaves kept coming. Their numbers gave them courage, but numbers weren't enough. Regardless of how weak Lucien was compared to awakened warriors… he was still far above mortals.
He moved like a shadow that had learned how to kill. Every step he took, a husk hit the floor. Blood ran across the stones, making the ground slick.
Some slaves slipped and fell, straight into his hands.
Others tried climbing the walls, scratching desperately at stone and iron.
Lucien dragged one down by the ankle and crushed his spine with a stomp, Another swung a wooden plank at him, it shattered across Lucien's back.
Not even a flinch.
He caught two by the skull and slammed their heads together until they cracked.
He could feel his body strengthening with each kill, his muscles tightening, his senses sharpening, the hum of the evil god nirvana system getting louder with every heart he devoured.
Finally, he caught the last able-bodied male by the throat. The slave kicked wildly, feet scraping at the bloody floor.
Lucien exhaled. His breath was steady, but it carried heat.
"Well," he murmured, "that was somewhat entertaining."
"Feast of a Blackened Heart."
The man collapsed into a husk.
Lucien turned toward the remaining survivors, mostly elderly beastkin and women and without a second thought, he shot towards them.
By the time the last body fell, Lucien growled softly under his breath. The second cell had been far more trouble, their resistance was desperate enough to take nearly four hours, and night had already fallen.
Even as a rank one awakened, Lucien still felt exhausted, but he refused to stop here, he could feel his body reaching a threshold, he needed to make a breakthrough in physical strength before daybreak.